Fierce Enigmas offers an outline of 'the long and varied history of American involvement in South Asia' beyond just the Cold War ... Srinath Raghavan engagingly writes an epic narrative that gives the reader much to ponder about what might have been, and the United States' role in the world. It is the old story of the blind men describing an elephant by touch, but here either side could be the elephant or the blind men depending upon the circumstances. The book is well illustrated.
Raghavan...chronicles this underappreciated history in a treasure trove of information and fresh interpretation ... This is an excellent work of clarification for readers curious about past and present associations between the U.S. and South Asia.
A critical, sometimes embarrassing account of American relations with the major nations of South Asia ... Encounters with America, writes Raghavan, have not always been negative, but as his book shows, there’s much room for improvement.
